


Taking A Walk

by Lunartwist



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Absolutely teeth-rotting fluff, Cows are mentioned but not present, Domestic Bliss, Extremely light spoilers for ep 159/160, I have no actual geographical knowledge of the Scottish Highlands beyond Google forgive meeee, M/M, Martin is a soft baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 05:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21405214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunartwist/pseuds/Lunartwist
Summary: It's been nearly two weeks since arriving at their safehouse in the Scottish Highlands. Jon wants no part in going outside. Martin is determined to get him out of the house.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan Sims
Comments: 10
Kudos: 150





	Taking A Walk

“Martin, its…its just not the best idea. I know you mean well, but…”

They had had this argument, well, _disagreement,_ once before. Within the past week and a half, it had become Martin’s mission to get Jon out of the house. Sure, Jon was used to holing himself up in the archives back at the Institute for weeks on end, but it wasn’t _healthy_. Martin had been the one to go out to run errands, or grab meals, or go for walks when he was bored. But Jon was adamant he’d be a danger to the general populous if he left the house. The statement taken from Peter Lukas had been incredibly filling and he looked better than he had in nearly a year, but Jon was concerned the temptation was too present to be around others. And so, he isolated himself within Daisy’s cabin and spent his days either reading the paper or burning brain cells on basic cable TV.

After a week, Martin had enough, and attempted to talk Jon into going on a walk with him. Despite it being just the two of them, and in the isolated countryside, the idea was vehemently rejected. Martin let it alone, but another half a week passed, and Jon looked so _dull _as he wasted another day away doing nothing. This time, he was going to get Jon out of the house no matter what.

“Look, Jon, I know you’re worried about accidentally taking a statement from someone, and it's not like it isn’t a valid concern, but- “

“-And potentially being discovered by the many, many, people who are after us.”

“Er, well, yes, which is also understandable, but-”

“-Martin, a walk sounds lovely, but it’s a risk.”

“Yes, I know,” Martin sighed, then straightened himself up. He wasn’t going to lose this time**.** “Look. You’re just sitting around all day. It's not healthy. And we don’t know how long we’re going to be here. Could be another week. Could be years. At some point you are going to have to go outside and get some fresh air. Exercise. Get a hobby, maybe. I just can’t stand watching you slowly become part of the sofa. Please Jon, just come walk with me today. It's perfect weather.”

Jon cast his gaze on the floor, clearly uncomfortable as he nervously rubbed his arm. Martin felt a tinge of guilt for coming on so strong and making him anxious, so he decided to ease back.

“Look, we’re in the Scottish countryside – in the middle of nowhere. What are you going to do, take a statement from a cow?” he laughed, changing the tone.

It seemed to work, as Jon let out a quiet chuckle and a small smile creeped up his lips.

“Its alright Jon, I’ll keep the cows safe. And you safe from them. Deal?”

Jon eased, standing up straighter and relaxing. “Alright, deal.”

“Thank you, Jon. I promise we’ll have a great time.”

“I trust we will, Martin.”

\--------------

Compared to the hustle of downtown London, the Scottish Highlands were breathtaking. It was vast, the air was clean, there were hills and trees _everywhere_. Martin felt like he could get lost in the endless hills of Scotland and never be found. The thought both thrilled and terrified him. He didn’t want to linger on the reasons why. No, he was determined to forget about work, about the fate of the world, and just soak up the landscape. Never in a million years did he think he’d ever be here, on what was essentially a domestic vacation, with Jon. He wanted to enjoy every second while it lasted.

“You think at some point we could attempt to go find Nessie?” he finally asked as they walked down a small, grassy hill.

“Nessie? Really, Martin?” Jon laughed. “Out of all of the things we have experienced, and you still believe in the Loch Ness Monster?”

“Of _course_ I don’t believe in Nessie, Jon,” Martin scoffed. “But I always found it fun to pretend.”

“Pretending the real monsters don’t exist, and instead only these harmless, fake ones,” Jon clarified.

“Well…yes,” Martin winced. So much for not discussing work.

“Ah…sorry,” Jon mumbled, realizing his mistake.

“No, no, its alright. Kind of hard to not to talk about recent events. Its still looming over us.”

“Right…”

For the next few minutes an uncomfortable silence hung in the air between them. Martin didn’t doubt they were both ruminating over the same fears. Their future was uncertain. Friends were missing, presumably dead. They were actively being hunted by police and other Avatars. The Watcher’s Crown was still looming over them. He could tell by the increasing frown lines on Jon’s already weary face that he was slipping further into these thoughts. That wouldn’t do. Martin had to save their outing.

“Suppose we make that our new job, hunting cryptids. After Nessie we can go to America and find Bigfoot.”

Jon made a noise that sounded somewhere between a surprised sputter and a honking laugh. Martin couldn’t help but feel a little pride in catching him so off-guard.

“You know how many cryptids there are in in the states?” he continued. “Loads of them. Mothman, the Jersey Devil, Chupacabra...”

“Thought that one was from Mexico,” Jon said.

“They can be found in the southern states as well,” Martin smiled.

“You really are a fan of all that cryptid rubbish, huh?” Jon chuckled.

“Well, I don’t think I ever actually believed they were real. But it was always a fun ‘what if’. I always knew supernatural stuff like ghosts, boogeymen, and Bigfoot – Bigfeet? Didn’t exist. But it’s the same as kids enjoying fantasy books growing up. They like to pretend a world with those creatures exists and what they would do it they lived in that world. Just a fun fantasy. And anyway, it beats the real monsters.”

“Yeah,” Jon agreed, looking at Martin with interest.

“So…maybe I was a bit of a paranormal geek growing up,” Martin said wistfully.

“Really? Tell me more.”

Martin turned his head to face Jon as they walked. He didn’t feel pressure and static hurting his head as he did in the Lonely when Jon saved him. It wasn’t at statement. It was just an innocent question. A conversation starter. Jon was smiling at him with a warmth that made his heart flutter as he awaited his answer. And for the remainder of the day their walk was filled with laughter, talk of crackpot conspiracy theories that neither of them believed, and discussions about a brighter future. A wholly unrealistic future of becoming slightly crazy fake-monster hunters, but one that both agreed would be exciting. In the Lonely, Peter had mentioned how little they knew of each other outside of work. But right here, on this walk, the two of them talked more than they ever had in the years before.

It was only as they approached their walkway that Martin realized they had been holding hands the entire time. Surprisingly he didn’t feel flustered. It felt natural. It felt like home.

\--------------

“Probably should have packed a lunch for our walk. I’m starving now,” Martin sighed as they hung their coats up on the coat rack. “Forgot to prepare something for dinner too. Tinned soup okay?”

“Tinned soup is wonderful, Martin,” Jon smiled at him in a way that made Martin forget to breathe momentarily.

“R-right. Soup,” Martin stammered and hurried into the kitchen while Jon slumped into the sofa to wait.

Thankfully dinner was done in only a few minutes as the microwave buzzed. Martin served a few bowls, grabbed a loaf of French bread to share and joined Jon on the sofa.

“So…what did you think of the walk?” Martin asked after finishing their meal.

Jon thought a moment, then looked at Martin with an expression he had never seen before. It was so…warm. So calm. He never looked so happy before. Martin felt a lump forming in his throat as Jon pointedly matched his gaze to his.

“I think…that if this was it, if this was our life now, hidden in a cabin away from the world, just the two of us…I think I would like that just fine.”

Martin felt himself freeze as heat creeped up his face. He must have looked ridiculous because Jon was looking at him what he swore was a _smug_ smile.

It was Jon that initiated the contact. His hand slipped into Martin’s casually and laced their fingers together. Martin felt his vision blur and moisten as he looked at him. This was a dream. It had to be.

But the light squeeze Jon’s hand gave his was a reminder that this was reality. Pure, fantastic, reality. Martin inhaled a shuddering breath as he tried and failed to keep his composure.

_Crying? Really, Martin?_ He mentally scolded himself between uneven breaths.

Jon pulled his hand away in favor of wrapping it around his shoulder, drawing him to lean against him. Martin snuggled into the crook of his neck, and he felt the other’s head lay lightly on top of his.

“I would really like that a lot, Martin,” Jon whispered.

“Yeah, me too.”

Beyond their sleepy glen, true horrors were tirelessly hunting them down. But inside their cabin, for now, they could pretend that world didn’t exist. No more monsters, no more apocalypse, no more loss. It could be just the two of them, cuddled close together on a sofa with the only immediate problem being what to have for breakfast tomorrow.

And when Martin felt his head being tilted upwards and slightly chapped lips press to his, he prayed to whatever Deity was listening that this little sanctuary could last forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, here it is! First fanfic! 
> 
> It's been such a long time since I've sat down and written a complete story. Time to de-rust these fingers!
> 
> Hope you liked it! :)


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